Vehicle Leveler with Lighting Safety Features

Abstract

The vehicle leveler includes a first portion which has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the trailing edge is disposed further from the driveway than the leading edge. The embodiment also includes a second portion which has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge of the second portion is attached to the trailing edge of the first portion and the leading edge of the second portion is disposed further from the driveway than the trailing edge of the second portion. The device has opposing side portions and a walkway. The opposing side portions include at least one or more lights which illuminate the leveler and the walkway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for use in docking a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a unitary vehicle leveler configured for deployment adjacent a building loading dock, the unitary vehicle leveler extending from a front toward a rear, the unitary vehicle leveler including a ramp that is configured to lift a vehicle for loading and unloading and to be inclined upward from a substantially flat driveway;   opposing side portions extending along the ramp, the opposing side portions having an inside surface, an outside surface and a top surface, the top surface forming a walkway; and   at least one light on the opposing side portions, the at least one light being controlled by a sensor adjacent to a door.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one light is located on the inside surface of the opposing side portions. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one light is located on the outside surface of the opposing side portions. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the door is a loading dock door, when the door is in an open position the at least one light is a first color, when the door is in a closed position the at least one light is a second color. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor automatically changes the color of the at least one light between the first color and the second color depending on if the door is in the open position or the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one light are multiple lights installed along a length of each opposing side portion, each opposing side portion having an inside wall surface and an outside wall surface. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the multiple lights are installed along the inside wall surface. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein at least one light is installed along the outside wall surface. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one light along the outside wall surface is a white light which illuminates the walkway for a user. 
     
     
         11 . A system for use in docking a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a unitary vehicle leveler configured for deployment adjacent a building loading dock, the unitary vehicle leveler extending from a front toward a rear, the unitary vehicle leveler including a ramp that is configured to lift a vehicle for loading and unloading and to be inclined upward from a substantially flat driveway, wherein the ramp includes a substantially flat section inclined from the substantially flat driveway at between about 1 and 15 degrees from parallel with the substantially flat driveway;   opposing side portions extending along the ramp, the opposing side portions having an inside surface, an outside surface and a top surface, the top surface forming a walkway; and   at least one light on the opposing side portions, the at least one light being controlled by a sensor adjacent to a door.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one light is located on the inside surface and the outside surface of the opposing side portions. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the door is a loading dock door, when the door is in an open position the at least one light is a first color, when the door is in a closed position the at least one light is a second color. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor, and the sensor automatically changes the color of the at least one light between the first color and the second color depending on if the door is in the open position or the closed position. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one light are multiple lights installed along a length of each opposing side portion, each opposing side portion having an inside wall surface and an outside wall surface. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the multiple lights are installed along the inside wall surface. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one light is installed along the outside wall surface. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one light along the outside wall surface is a white light which illuminates the walkway for a user. 
     
     
         19 . A system for use in docking a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a unitary vehicle leveler configured for deployment adjacent a building loading dock, the unitary vehicle leveler extending from a front toward a rear, the unitary vehicle leveler including a ramp that is configured to lift a vehicle for loading and unloading and to be inclined upward from a substantially flat driveway, wherein the ramp includes a substantially flat section inclined from the substantially flat driveway at between about 1 and 15 degrees from parallel with the substantially flat driveway;   opposing side portions extending along the ramp, the opposing side portions having an inside surface, an outside surface and a top surface, the top surface forming a walkway;   at least one light on the opposing side portions, the at least one light being controlled by a light sensor adjacent to a door; and   a powered wheel chock and a corresponding wheel chock sensor, the wheel chock sensor indicates when the wheel chock is contacting a wheel of a vehicle.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the light sensor is a proximity sensor.